The Greatest Gift
by Stelena-Beautiful
Summary: Jax and Elizabeth. (AU) Christmas 2005. There's a baby involved and an unexpected invitation. Happy reading!


**Pairing:** Elizabeth and Jax

**The Greatest Gift**

"Thank god you're here!" Jax said as he took Elizabeth's hand in his and practically yanked her inside his penthouse.

"You said it was urgent on the phone ..." Elizabeth heard the sound of a baby's cry - a familiar baby's cry in fact - and immediately dropped her purse and hurried over to the bassinet.

"Sorry to call you here on Christmas Eve but she won't stop crying. No matter what I do, she just won't," Jax said, running a hand through his hair in frustration. Elizabeth had never seen Jax be anything but calm, cool, and collected so this was definitely a startling change. "I don't know what to do."

Elizabeth peered into the bassinet and for a moment, paused as she took in the sight of the baby girl with eyes just the color of hers. She then lifted the two month old baby girl out of the bassinet and put her to her shoulder, cooing at her as she rubbed her back. "It's okay, little one, its okay."

The baby kept crying and Jax threw up his hands. "I can't figure out what is wrong. I tried to feed her, I've changed her diaper - twice - and I took her temperature ..." His voice trailed off as he looked at Elizabeth with a haunted expression in his eyes. "Should I take her to the hospital?"

"No," Elizabeth replied. "I am sure she's just colicky." Then she sat on the sofa and began lightly massaging the baby's slightly bloated belly. Soon enough, she had stopped crying and burped loudly.

"You're a miracle worker... How did you know what to do?" Jax asked. He settled onto the sofa beside her and Elizabeth was hyper aware of his presence. They had bonded over the surrogacy and in all honesty, Elizabeth had begun to hope for more when she delivered Madeline Jane Jacks. But it had never happened.

"Cameron was colicky all the time. I recognized the symptoms."

"Well thank god you did." Jax reached over and lightly stroked the baby's chubby arm and she smiled up at her daddy. He then looked at Elizabeth. "I don't know what I'm doing. I just don't. I don't know how I'm going to get through the next eighteen years, let alone the weekend." His normally stoic presence had evaporated and he looked vulnerable and disheartened.

"I want her to have all the best things in life but caring for a baby myself ... I don't know if I can do it."

Elizabeth grasped Jax's hand while keeping her other arm firmly hitched to the little girl. "Yes, you can, Jax. You are an amazing father already. There's no one better for Madeline than you." She looked down at the smiling little girl and chuffed her chestnut colored hair lightly. "I am glad I could help you realize your dream to be a father because you are great at it. I am just sorry Courtney isn't here to share this with you."

Jax nodded. "She has moved on. I loved her but I know our time has passed and I'm trying to let go of the bitterness. I just know Maddy could benefit from a womanly presence ..." His voice trailed off and he stared at Elizabeth, seeming to really see her for the first time since she had arrived. "Wow. The answer is right in front of me."

"What do you mean?" Elizabeth shifted nervously on the sofa though her stomach was filling with butterflies.

"I know it's very presumptuous of me to even ask but would you and Cameron like to move into the penthouse with Madeline and me? I know you fulfilled the details of your contract perfectly but I think Madeline and I could both benefit from you being here. I mean -"

"Yes!" Elizabeth cried out. "I mean, yes." She laughed softly. "I would love to help you with Madeline as long as you need me."

"It could be another eighteen years..."

Elizabeth smiled. "That actually works for me. Honestly, I love this little girl. She's a part of me and I've tried not to feel attached to her but it didn't work." Her eyes moistened with tears. "Anyway, are you sure you don't mind having me and my son around for awhile?"

"Mind? No, I would welcome it," Jax said. "But it just occurs to me. You and Lucky ..."

Elizabeth looked down at the baby for a long moment before turning back to Jax. "We broke up. Things just weren't working out for us. We tried to recapture our teenage dreams and it just wasn't happening."

"I'm sorry."

"Me too but it's for the best. Lucky will always have a huge part of my heart but I think for the first time, I'm going to be okay without him." She looked at Jax appreciatively. "So thank you, thank you for this opportunity to be here and get to know Madeline better."

"Well thank you for giving her to me. She is the greatest gift in my life. What you did for me ... Well, I can never make it up to you."

"You're already doing just that," Elizabeth said with a little smile. "You've given me a wonderful gift as well... Merry Christmas, Jax."

"Merry Christmas, Elizabeth."

_**Finis for now.**_


End file.
